China's Actions Against Swedish Citizens is Severely Criticized by the Swedish Government and Ministry of Foreign affairs

China's actions against Swedish Citizens recently at Tiananmen Square, were severely criticized. On Thursday, November 22, the Chargé d'affairs of China in Stockholm, Cui Jianchao, was called to the Ministry of Foreign affairs to receive the Swedish Government's severe criticism regarding the treatment of the nine Swedish Falun Gong practitioners who went to Beijing.

The Swedish Government was deeply concerned over reports that Swedish citizens were physically abused in Beijing while they were participating in an "illegal" demonstration.

Furthermore, the Chinese Government received criticism for not allowing Swedish diplomats access with the detained Swedes for 18 hours, despite Swedish diplomats repeated efforts to to get in contact. A deputy for the Swedish embassy in Beijing wasn't able to meet the Swedes until they were taken onboard the airplane that was to bring them back to Sweden. The Swedish Government took this as a violation of the Vienna Convention [regarding the rights of prisoners in other countries].

The head of the Department of the Ministry of Foreign affairs, Sven-Olof Persson, finally described the Chinese Government's treatment of the Falun Gong movement as cruel and a crime to human rights.